Methods and apparatus for current transmission through a circuit breaker

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for facilitating current transmission through a circuit breaker are described. In an exemplary embodiment of the apparatus, a coupler that includes a copper conductive ring having an inner annular wall is provided. The coupler is electrically coupled to the line terminal. A bore extends through the ring, and the bore is sized so that the shaft can extend therethrough. A plurality of copper bristles extend radially inward from the ring inner annular wall, and the bristles are in electrical contact with the conductive ring. The bristles also are in electrical contact with shaft when shaft extends through ring bore. At least some bristles extend sufficiently radially inward from the ring inner wall so that free ends of at least some bristles are in electrical contact with the shaft when the shaft extends through the bore.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. Apparatus for transmitting current from a movable element of a circuit breaker to a line terminal, said apparatus comprising: 
       a conductive ring having an inner annular wall, a bore extending through the ring, said bore sized so that the circuit breaker movable element can extend therethrough, said ring configured to be connected in an electrical circuit with the line terminal; and  
       a plurality of bristles in electrical contact with said conductive ring and extending radially inward from said inner annular wall of said ring, said bristles configured to be in electrical contact with the movable element when the movable element extends through said ring bore.  
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said conductive ring is copper. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said bristles are copper. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said bristles comprise an outer layer of silver. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein at least some of said bristles extend sufficiently radially inward from said ring inner wall so that free ends of at least some of said bristles are in electrical contact with the circuit breaker movable element when the movable element is positioned to extend through said bore. 
     
     
       6. A method for assembling a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker including a movable element and a conductive ring, the conductive ring having an inner annular wall and a plurality of bristles extending radially inward from the inner annular wall, said method comprising the steps of: 
       aligning the movable element with conductive ring; and  
       inserting the movable element through the conductive ring so that at least some of the bristles are in electrical contact with the movable element.  
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 6  wherein the movable element is movable relative to the conductive ring. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 6  further comprising the step of securing the ring in an electrical circuit with a line terminal.